MSD stands behind the work that we do and are proud to share a few of the stories about businesses we have had the fortune of working with. We have partnered with these companies, learned about what makes them great, and provided a custom service that helped them operate at their best.

The Conner Group Headquarters

 

MSD Inc. entered into agreement with Messer Construction Company to provide Domestic Plumbing and Gas Piping work for The Connor Group Corporate Headquarters. The project is located in Dayton, Ohio. The building contains a total of 39,825 square feet of office space. The contracted value of this project was $466,000. MSD was responsible for the installation of the building’s Plumbing system which consisted of: The Installation of domestic water and sewage system, (44) Plumbing Fixtures, Triplex Potable Water Booster Pumps with VFD Control, Duplex Sewage Injection Pump System, Duplex Water Softening System, Duplex Sump Pump System, Twin 100 Gallon 199 MBH Water Heaters, and the Installation of Gas Piping to all Fuel Fired Appliances, which are only a few of the Plumbing Components installed for this building.

This project is special due to the unique shape of the building, with its slanted walls that almost defy the rules of gravity. MSD was responsible for the plumbing on this job, and with installing our plumbing work we had to adjust to its distinctive shape to make sure our systems could be adequately installed.

The building included many specialty features. The faucets for example were equipped with LED lights that changed colors based upon the water temperature. We also installed massage panels in the custom showers. There is an exterior moat that runs around the perimeter of the building. MSD laid gas and water piping to the pool equipment and heaters that serve this moat. In addition to the exterior moat, we also installed an interior floor to ceiling water feature located in the lobby area of the building. This created a waterfall effect whereas the water falls from a special opening created in the ceiling into a narrow drain in the floor.

Some of the obstacles that we faced in order to complete this project certainly lied within the irregular shape of this building. Due to that shape we had to adjust and become innovative with our installation and also with some of the equipment and materials that we used. Instead of using standard 90 degree fittings, we had to use swing joint fittings in order to get the correct angles. We also overcame obstacles by having to readjust the pitch on our roof drains after installation. We needed to readjust due to the tension cables holding the glass wall that leaned outwards from the building. After tensioning the cables, the cables pulled down on the roof and we had to alter the pitch to compensate for the tensioning. We also experienced challenges on this project in regards to quality control on our layout of the underground portion of the work. Since this was not your standard shaped building, we had to perfect our layout to make sure our systems were properly installed. As a company we learned from the project and have invested in a Trimble Unit to assist with our layout process moving forward.

Plumbing Scope of Work:
Plumbing
Complete Domestic Water System with Backflow Protection Devices
Sanitary, Waste and Vent System
Storm Piping System
All drain and Clean-out Specialties
Natural Gas System
Insulation
Plumbing Fixtures
Steam Bath System
Temporary Water Station
Interior and Exterior Water Features

The Details

Size of Project: 39, 825 Square Feet

Length of Construction Project:
1 year 8 months November 2012-July 2014

Percentage of work Self-Performed: 94%

National Museum of the United State Air Force – Hanger 4

 

This project was special and challenging due to the design of a dual temperature HVAC water system, the size and height of the building, and the vast amount of equipment and systems to install with a very aggressive schedule. MSD was responsible for all of the Mechanical work including HVAC systems, controls, radon systems, plumbing systems, and insulation for both plumbing and HVAC on this Project.

MSD faced many challenges from the start of the project. We were not able to start our underground plumbing work until the structural steel contractor finished setting the arches which required (3) cranes working in unison, to lift the arches in place. Because of this, we were forced to start our underground in December. In order to help facilitate the schedule, we worked hard to complete the underground as quickly as possible all while fighting the frozen ground. We also, began installing our overhead duct and pipe before the roof was on. This left us contending with the rain, snow and winter winds.

The wind was an especially serious challenge in this project due to the height of the install. The project essentially shut down when winds were in excess of 20 mph. Because of these stringent safety requirements, the roofers were delayed for more than 30 days. In order for us to maintain the schedule, we had no choice but install our ductwork and overhead piping without a roof. We also increased the prefabrication of ductwork and piping which allowed us to continue the project with less of an impact from the jobsite conditions and restraints.

The roof line is 88 feet to the peak and our installation included six return air duct arches following the radius of the half round roof of the museum reaching 76 feet to the top of the duct arches. Nearly half of our overhead rough install was completed using allterrain lifts. We had to coordinate closely with the general contractor – Turner Construction – on a daily and sometimes hourly basis, as we were not allowed to work under the roofers and concrete pours were continuing all around us.

During the spring and summer, our field crews utilized a phone app that would warn them of any nearby lightning headed their way and were able to work around every storm that came, descending down off the lifts safely and out of harm’s way. Safety was in fact THE number one priority on this project; Turner employed a full-time safety supervisor on site and with the excellent coordination and communication between Turner, the Corps of Engineers, our safety director, our foremen, and our mechanics we were able start and
complete this project without a single incident even while being delayed approximately (30) days due to weather. With the size of this project and the amount of manpower used to build Museum Hangar 4 it is quite extraordinary and very self-rewarding.

This project was one of the most challenging projects MSD has completed. In fact, it would have been impossible if it wasn’t for the leadership of two excellent foremen: Kevin Oney and Jeff Storck as well as their field crews. We can attribute the project’s success to the employees and their attention to detail, as well as excellent craftsmanship. Almost every project has its challenges and obstacles, but this one was by far unique. Now when we walk up to Building Hangar 4 and look through those huge doors to view
what we accomplished, we only ask one question: “When is Hangar 5 going to start?”

Scope of Work

Installation of all complete HVAC, Plumbing systems including:
Dual Temp HVAC Piping System
(6) Air Handlers
(1) Centrifugal Chiller
Twin Boilers
Cooling Tower
Treatment Skid
Cabinet, Hot Water and Electric Unit Heaters
(4) Base Mounted Pumps
Plumbing Fixtures
Raydon Ventilation System
Building Automation

The Details

Size of Project: 225,000 Square Feet

Length of Construction Project:  12 months

Percentage of work Self-Performed: 85%

Fed Ex Miamisburg

 

As you are reading this, you are probably thinking to yourself that this is just a typical warehouse. What is so special about this building?  That is the same way we approached this project in the very beginning as we started working through the design process. We felt that this job was very basic and was going to be very straight forward. As we got deeper into the design we started to see one issue that kept staring us in the face, the underground sanitary lines running through the building.

The building was 800 feet long and all the site utilities were coming into the site on the north end of the project. We had two drain lines that we needed to install in the building.One was the sanitary line that served the restroom groups. Since there were restroom groups at both ends of the building we had one sanitary line going almost from one end of the building to the other. We attempted to get approval for our pipes to come out of the building in two different locations, but this was not permitted.

One whole side of the building contained the area where they brought their trucks into the building to load them. At each one of the (7) bays there was a 116-foot-long trench drain. Each one of these trench drains had to drain into an oil separator that had to be located outside the building, before it could dump into the sanitary line. This caused us to have two long drain lines on opposite sides of the building, both running close to the full length of the building. Due to the length of these underground lines it was going to require us to excavate a trench that was going to be close to 10-foot-deep when we exited the building. This required us to rent a track hoe and a trench box because the back hoe that we were originally planning to use would not handle the weight of the trench box needed to safely get down that deep. The issue was that not only did we have to do this once, for the sanitary, but we would have to turn right around and do it again for the trench drains.

As we considered that scenario, it became very evident that we were going to have a problem. The schedule only gave us 10 days to get the underground sanitary line installed and it was going to take that much time to get one sanitary line completed let alone the second line. We started looking at what it would take to get a second crew going. Even if we wanted to rent the equipment for a second crew, we did not have the extra manpower to do so. As we began to decide what to do, we considered the option of running these two lines in the same trench. It would cause us to install more piping on the one side, but it would allow us to dig one trench and install both lines down through the building. As we considered that option, it became evident that this was the way that we had to proceed. This left us with one last hurdle that we had to get over.

As mentioned earlier, the trench drains had to drain into an oil separator, before that water could be dumped into the sanitary system. At this point the building was going up faster than we could get our hands on the oil interceptor. This was not just some small tank that needed to go into the ground. This was a 5100-gallon concrete tank that was 13’-4” long, 10’-4” wide and 10’-4” tall and we were being told that it needed to go in the grassy area right outside the building. This was going to be a very large hole right outside the building. Immediately we tried to get the Client to allow us to move the oil interceptor further away from the building so that the hole could be excavated safely without undermining the footer of the building. There was one spot that could have potentially worked, but it was in a parking lot and the tank was not traffic rated, and it was almost through production. This put us back to digging a 20 ft deep hole right next to the building footer.

We contacted MacAllister Rentals and had them come into our office and laid out what our issue was and asked if there was any way that they could help us solve this issue. They explained to us that they had a slide rail system that we could rent that you push into the ground as you dig your hole, thus allowing us to support the dirt up by the building as we dug the hole. Since we were out of options, and time, we decided that this was the way we needed to go. We had to rent a much larger track hoe now to handle the 9000 lb. steel panels and to actually be able to dig this big of a hole. MacAllister got things moving and they brought in one of their guys to train us on how to use their slide rail system. For a company that does not get into doing dirt work very much with heavy equipment, that close to the building, this was a big deal and one stressful week.

Even with all this added expense in renting the equipment to safely install this oil interceptor, it was almost offset by the money saved in combining the two ditches. At the end of the day the project did come in under budget, safe and with a great story to tell.

Scope of Work

Design Build Project installing the Plumbing and
HVAC systems in the new warehouse building
along with finish Administration Area
1100 feet of Trench Drain
One (1) – Oil Interceptor
Forty-Eight (48) – Infrared Heaters
Fifteen (15) – Roof Mounted Exhaust Fans Rated
at 50,000 CFMs each
Fourteen (14) – 16 ft Diameter Ceiling Fans
Five (5) – Split Systems in the Office Area

The Details

Size of Project: 249,506 Square Feet

Length of Project : 4 Months – Design   8 Months – Construction

Percentage of Work Self-Preformed: 89%

Meijer Distribution

 

MSD Inc. entered an agreement with Meijer to provide and install (6) new Rooftop units at their distribution facility. Meijer is a family owned grocery chain with stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. This project is located in Tipp City, Ohio. This facility boasts approximately 1.8 million square feet of manufacturing space with 17 miles of conveyor belts for grocery, fresh produce, frozen foods & general merchandise. The contract value for this project was $536,381 with $0 in change orders.

This project was unique because the facility could not completely shut down operations while the existing units were removed, and the new units were set in their place. Because of this, it was determined that the units would need to be air lifted and set on top of the building using a helicopter. The helicopter was necessary to ensure that the change out of the units was completed in a 4-hour time frame so as not disrupt operations for an extended period of time. To accomplish this, we needed to have a large crew, (16) of our skilled field personnel who worked diligently to complete the change out of (6) RTUs in a matter of 3 hours while continuing to maintain a safe working environment.
This project required several weeks of due diligence and planning beforehand to assure that the unit outlets & inlets for the associated ductwork, piping and wiring were placed in the proper locations to allow for reconnect of the existing services. Although this sounds like a fairly simple task, it is not as easy as it appears. There were several reiterations of the RTU shop drawings before the units were approved for manufacturing. Once approved, the units took about 12 weeks to receive. During this waiting period, additional planning and
coordination was required for the Helicopter landing and material and equipment staging area.

Understandably, a manufacturing facility will have a constant flow of traffic from the employees and the 18-wheelers that come in to get loaded for distribution to the Meijer facilities. Because of this it was important that we were able to find a location for the equipment central to the two buildings we would be working on but still keeping them out of the way of traffic. The helicopter planning required a little more than determining the landing location. It was imperative that we notify and coordinate with Care Flight as well as Dayton International Airport to be sure that the helicopter would not interfere with the flight path of either operation. In addition to this, we notified the local Police Department and Fire Station of the helicopter lift in case of an emergency. In the end, the removal of old and installation of new went off without a hitch. It was an exciting experience to witness the execution of all the careful planning that took place to make this project a success.

Scope of Work:

Demo Existing and Replace with Six (6) – Roof Top Units
Electrical Wiring / Connections
Controls

The Details

Size of Project:  3 Buildings
1.8 Million SF Distribution Center

Length of Construction Project: 2 Weeks

Percentage of Work Preformed: 90%

Notable Projects

LJB, Inc.

LJB, Inc. was renovating their Miamisburg, OH office and wanted to incorporate energy-saving upgrades.

  • MSD provided Design Build services in tandem with Greensleeves Energy Solutions, a specialist in geothermal systems.
  • MSD and Greensleeves installed a new geothermal HVAC system with open and closed loops. In addition, MSD design and installed the plumbing portion of the renovation.

WPAFB Chilled Water System

The chilled water system at a high-security building on the Air Force Base was undersized and unable to keep up with demand. The facility could not operate without chilled water due to the amount of information servers in the building, and the general nature of the building itself. The entire upgrade project would need to be completed with minimal shut down time at the building. HVAC portion of this project was over $3 million.

  • MSD worked in collaboration with Diaz Construction to complete the system upgrades on time and on budget with minimal shutdowns or disruption to the facility operations.

WPAFB Sensors Lab

Wright-Patt Air Force Base sought contractors to renovate and add onto the Sensors Lab. The HVAC portion of the project was over $13 million.

  • MSD served as the Design Assist Contractor in conjunction with Heapy Engineering for this project. In collaborating with General Contractor, Butt Construction, MSD provided Design Assist solutions for the following:
    • A large, anechoic chamber
    • An outdoor range
    • Multiple, Class-100 clean rooms
    • A three-story office building addition with DCID 6-9 requirements on many of the rooms
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